Dress skirt spring



(No Model.)

M. COHN.

DRESS SKIRT SPRING. v No. 357,370. Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

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UNITE TATES MORITZ COHN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRESS-=SKIRT SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,370, dated February 8, 1887.

Application filed November 8, 1886. Serial No. 218,278. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORITZ COHN, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new Improvement in Dress-Skirt Springs; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a set of springs as prepared for attachment to a skirt; Fig. 2, the several springs of Fig. 1 detached; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the springs curved as when attached to the skirt.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of springs which consist of strips of steel, perforated at the end, so as to be secured transversely inside a ladys skirt, and so that the ends may be drawn together to produce a bustle appearance. These springs are usually single springs, independent of each other, and two or more introduced successively, lengthening from the upper spring downward. The springs are made as articles of manufacture, the steel springs covered with a fabric, the ends tipped with metal, and with perforations through the ends of the springs, usually bushed by the introduction of eyelets, so as to form a band around the opening to prevent fraying of the fabric. The springs standing independent of each other are liable to be turned up or down, as the case may be, by pressure thereon, as in sitting or leaning. If to avoid this the springs are stayed to the skirt midway of their length, that stay is liable to break, and does not allow the freedom of the skirt that is desirable.

The object of my invention is to provide springs with a means independent of the skirt to support them at a point between their two ends, so that they may always maintain their proper relation to each other.

To this end my invention consists in combining with two or more transverse skirtsprings, each perforated at the ends as a means for attachment, a vertical central spring provided with pockets through which the said transverse springs may respectively pass and be supported, the said central spring extending above the upper spring, and at its end pierced to afford a means for securing the upper end of the spring at the waistband, and as more fully hereinafter described.

In the illustration I show three transverse springs, that being the usual number. A represents the upper spring; B, the second-spring, and O the lower spring. The springs increase in length from the upper spring downward. The springs consist of a strip of steel inclosed by a. fabric, each of the required length. The ends of each spring are tipped with metal to prevent the fraying of the fabric, as well as to protect the garments from injury from the otherwise sharp end of the spring, and at each end each spring is pierced, as shown, to afford means for attaching the ends of the springs each independent of the other. These perforations are hushed by eyelets to secure the fabric around the opening, as well as to afford smooth holes, through which the stitches may be taken.

D represents a vertical spring, which should be somewhat .broader than the transverse springs, and of a length corresponding to the distance from the lowest spring to the waistband. At-intervals on this vertical spring D pockets E are formed through which thetransverse springs may'be readily passed. These pockets are best formed by applying a piece of leather upon the surface of the spring D, and near its ends secured by an eyelet through the leather and spring, the space between the eyelets being sufficient to permit the springs to be passed through, and so as to leave them free for other than frictional contact. The spring D extends above the upper spring, so as to reach the waistband, and at its upper end is pierced to afford means for attachment of that end of the spring, and the spring D is tipped at both ends with metal to protect the garments and prevent the fraying out of the covering. This completes the article.

As sent to market the springs are each withdrawn from their pockets, as seen in Fig. 2, so as to be packed in a very small compass, the springs being sold as articles of manufacture.

The vertical springs may be of a greater or less length, or with more or less pockets to receive moreor less of the transverse springs, the purchaser taking a vertical spring of the required length and number of pockets, and then transverse springs according to the number of pockets required.

The transverse springs are first introduced through the pockets of the vertical spring and then secured by their ends to the skirt in the usual manner, and the vertical spring D is secured by its upper end to the waistband. The transverse springs are then contracted in the usual manner to give the requisite curvature or projection, and in so doing the vertical spring, being secured at the waist, is curved accordingly, as indicated in Fig. 3. The vertical spring holds the transverse springs in their proper relation to each other and independent of the skirt, so that, being detached from the skirt, gives perfect freedom to it.

I claim- The herein-described skirt-springs, consisting of the vertical spring D, pierced at its up- 20 per end for attachment at the waistband, and provided with pockets at intervals corresponding to the width of the transverse springs, the transverse springs A B C, more or less in number, adapted to be introduced through the 25 said pockets, and each of said transverse springs pierced at its ends as a means for attachment, substantially as described.

MORITZ GOHN.

\Vitnesses:

MICHAEL HALLSTEIN, HENRY J. SOHUMANN. 

